Process of and apparatus for distilling and cracking hydrocarbon oils



June 9, 19m. 1,541,140

A. H. HELLER PROCESS OF' AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING AND CRACKINGHYDROCARBON OILS Filed Aug. 21, 1922 3 sheets-sheet 1 kmw NW. u mm Jue9, 1925'.

A. H. HELLER` PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING AND CRACKNGHYDROCARBON OILS Filed Aug. 21; 1922 3 sheets-sheet s COLD O/L #or ou.

ou. en

. 15 the apparatus may -be avoided.

Patented June 9,

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

ALFoNcE H. HELLER, oF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FORDISTILLING AND CRAC-KING HYDROCARB-ON OILS.

Application filed'4 August 21.1922. serial No. 583,069.

To 'all fui/0m t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFONCE H. HELLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of andApparatus for Distilling and Cracking Hydrocarbon Oils, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a'lprocess and ap` paratus for heat treatinghydrocarbon-oils and pertains particularly to' the distillation andcracking of heavy petroleum oils in such -a way that carbonincrustation's within 'One particular feature isinclruded in the processand apparatus in which a plurality of parallel arranged pipes are soconnected to each other and to acentral hollow shaft.

about which `they are grouped and with which they rotate, that oil maybe intro-.

duced through the shaft and passed progressively through each of thepipes and finally discharged from an axially located dischargeconnection. During this operation heat is applied to the pipearrangement in such a way. that the pipes farthest from the center aresubjected to the highest4 degree of heat, the temperature of which issuiii.- "-l cient to effect cracking of the oil in the pipes.

Another outstanding feature of the process and apparatus of thisinvention includes the use of the rotatable pipe still described4combined with a freely movable abrading rod positioned within each ofthe pipes which rotate with the center shaft and revlvolve about it. 1

Other features and advantages are described and claimed in the followingspeciw ication and claims, and illustratedin the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a partial section takensubstantially centrally and on the line 1-1 of Figure 2 through i5 thelength of the apparatus, illustrating the furnace and central pipe insection;

Figure 2 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 1 taken on theline 2-2 'of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, lookingin the direction of the arrow;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectionaI-fview showing a modification of theform of stuifing box connection for the axial intake and outlet for oil;

Figure 5 represents a sectional View, partly broken away, showing theposition of a'hollow rod within one of the pipes; 60

Figure 6 represents across sectional view taken on the line 6-.6 ofFigure 5;

Figure 7 'shows a modified arrangement in which a plurality ofround,solid rods are used; 65

Figure. 8 represents a cross sectional View showing how a square rod maybe used; and

Figure 9 represents a portion of a twisted. solid rod used within thetreatment pipes.

Referring in detail-.to the figures of the drawings, like numerals referto like parts in the different figures. The furnace structure ofsuitable concrete, brick, ,or other building material is indicated at 1.A fire box 2 having an opening is shown in the 75 are a plurality ofpipes, connected together lto form a rotatable pipe still the details ofwhich will now bejdescribed. A lcentrally located horizontal pipe ortube 4 is journaled at opposite ends of the `furnace in the supportingbearings 5 which are cooled or S5 lubricated by'cooling liquid or oil ina channel 52l formed in the upper portion of the bearing 5. The bearingis mounted at the upper end of supporting legs or braces 6, which inturn have a base portion7 mounted at one end on a masonry support 8 andsecured thereto by fastening screws or bolts 9, and at the opposite endadjacent the furnace door opening the bearing 5 is supported on girders10 which bridge the space opposite-the furnace opening 3. The bear` ingis provided with a suitable bushing of cast iron encircling the pipe 4as indicated at 11, and `the bushing is preferably keyed to the pipe 4f.1041 In theparticular arrangement of still i1- lustrated, twenty-ninepipes are grouped about the central pipe 4. These pipes are numberedconsecutively from 12` to 40, and the particular sequence of theirconnection 105 may be understood from an inspection of Figures 2 and3.These pipes 12--40, inclusive, are positioned and xed in parallelrelation and are grouped around thecentral pipe 4 and havetheir endsconnected l10- by return bend portions 41 in such a manner that thepipes are connectedin series," the hollow central pipe 4 being 1n portedcommunication with one of the more cenl and through which the individualpipes project and have a relatively tight connec-- tion. The purpose ofthese spacing plates 42 is also to prevent the escape of heat andheating gases from the furnace and to confine the heat and the heatinggases to the space immediately about the group of pipes 12-40. Tofurther provide for a tight fit at the periphery ofl the. plates 42 acomple.

mentary stationary annular plate 43 is mounted at each end of thefurnace and in close, but` spaced relation to the pla 42. The plates 42have an intimately projecting flange 42a which is adapted to move in achannel shaped extension 43a continued from the plate 43. Thus in therotary movement of the group of pipes and the plates 42, the tortuouspassage provided between t-hel parts 42a and 43a limits the escape ofthe heat-ing gases from the furnace. The plates 42 are preferably weldedto the exterior of the pipe 4 or otherwise braced so as to move with thepipe. 4 during the rotation of the pipes with and about the pipe 4 as anaxis. inclusive, are illustratedV as having Han es 44 at their ends towhich may be secured y bolts, not illustrated, the corresponding flangesof the end bent portions 41.. In order to make possible a compactassembly, andl also provide space forthe flanges 44, the pipes 12-40 arepositioned in staggered end-wise relation so that next adjacent pipesproject alternately further from the plates 42 on the opposite -ends ofthe vrotatable assembly.

The particular ap aratus and the manner -of introducin and lieading offthe oil treated will now e described. An intake pipe for fresh oil isindicated at'45, and it will be noted that this pipe is slightly offcenter Vwith respect to the center of the ipe 4. An outlet pipe for oilwhich has een treated in indicated at 46, and this pipe is illustratedas in alignment with the center of the pipe 4. Both of these pipes 45and 46 are illustrated as screw threaded in a stuffing box structurehaving a stationary block member 47, which in turn has cylindricalsleeves 47a and 47b providing an annular space therebetween. The purposeof this arrangement is to provide an oiltight fit against the movableportion of the still,

The pipes 12-40,

as will be shown. T'he pipe 4, atone side of the bearing 5, has a plate48, having a cylindrical flange 48 projecting therefrom Vnuts 51, andsprings 52, which latter are held and moved in openings 53 formed in therear of the flange 49. In practice a series of the spring held bolts arepositioned around4 the margin of the plate 48 and the flange 49 toyieldingly hold the plate 48 and theblock member 47 in engagement. Theposition of the flange -48a between the sleeves 47 and 47" serves toassist incentering the parts-and to provide an oil tight seal.Packing-material 54 isprovided between 47 and 47b at the inner` end ofthe space to assist in preventing ,the leakage of oil, and oil vents areindicated 4at 54a through the block 47.y v.A similar arrangement ofconcentric flanges is provided to maintain an oil tight but rotatableconnection between the oil inlet passage and the oil outlet paage aswill now be described. The oil outlet pipe 46 terminates at the centerof the block 47. An inner oil outlet pipe 55 is 'positioned centrallywithin and spaced from the ipe 4, and extends therethrough from a pointon the still side of one bearing and terminates near the inner end ofthe pipe 46 and in alignment therewith. 'lhe opposite and still end ofthe pipe 55` is connected to the pipes of the still, aswill bedescribed"hereinafter, The block 47 has a second set of concentricflanges corresponding tothe `flanges 47a and 47 b, and indicated at 47for the inner flange and 47 d for the outer flange, and both of,

them serving to provide an annular space therebetween. Fitted into thisspace is a cylindrical flange 56 which closely encircles the pipe 55 andis fixed to it by-clamping screws 57. The extreme outer end of the pipe55 is closely rotatably fitted into thecentral o ening within the flange47 c. TheV inner en of the part 56 has a plurality of spaced lingers 58projecting along the pipe 55 and serving to space the inner end of theflange 56 from the next adjacent face of the part 48 so that fresh oilmay pass between the fingers 58 from the pipe 45' inwardly and along theexterior of the outlet pipe 55. The space between the flanges 47 and4'4"d is also provided with packing material 54 and similar openingsleading thereto through the block 4 7 are indicated at 54. Thisdescription applies to the stuffing box end of the apparatus.

The end of the apparatus oppite vto the illustrating also in section ahollow rod 60 stalling box is used for access to the fire box throughthev doorway 3. The end of* the central pipev 4, farthest removed fromthe st-uiling box, is provided with a cover vplate or cap 4, to tightlyclose that end of the pipe and prevent oil from leaking. The cap 4aserves also for-inspection and cleaning of the interior of the pipe 4.ABetween the plate 42 and the end bearing near the cap 4a is a lead olfpipe 4b extending from the central pipe 4 to the pipe H,12, the first ofthe series of the pipes 12-40, inclusive. The last pipe of this series,40, is illustrated as oney of the outer -group of pipes, and ispositioned farther from the center than the pipe V12. The end of thepipe next adjacent the `stuffing box is connected to the outlet pipe bya pipe 55a which extends centrally toward the cent-ral pipe 4 betweenthe plate 42 and ,the bearing, projects through the pipe 4, and iscontinued within the pipe 4' as the pipe 55.

A sprocket wheel for applying power to i'evolve the still is indicatedat 59 on the central pipe 4 and is located between the stuliing box andthe adjacent bearing.

Scraping means or scouring means is provided for the interior of each ofthe pipes 12--40, inclusive, and also, if desirable, for thcinterior ofthe central pipe 4, by rods which extend lengthwise of the ipes andwhich are inserted from` the en s of the pipes when the bends 41 areremoved. These rods 60 occupy a substantial portion of the crosssectional area of the bore of 'the pipes. The rods normally rest on theinner lower Surface of the pipes and are adapted to slide and rollaround the inner surface oi' the pipes as the latter are revolved aboutthe pipe 4 as an axis. In this movement the rods serve as abradingelements and grind away any carbon which may be deposited on the innersurfaces of the pipes. The rods serve also to increase the speed of theoil as it flows through'the pipes,- it having been found that a givencross section ofoil flows much more swiftly through the portion of thepipe cgptaining the rod than through a portion of the pipe, such as theend portions or a similar section without a rod, in which no spacingmember is positioned. The rod, in addition to increasing thespeed of theoil, serves to reduce the thickness of the body of oil to be heated inany given cross section of oil in the part of the pipe not containingthe rod. This relatively thin body of oil is accordingly much morereadily and quickl heated, and because of its increased s ee reduces toa minimum the formation o' carbon on the inner surface of the pipes, thespeed serving to wash away carbon before it hasiopportunity to becomedeposited. In Figure 5 a typical pipe is shown in section having theends thereof plugged at 61, and having an opening 62'through the walllof the hollow rod for the equalization. of pressure on theinside andoutside ofthe rod. If the rod were hollow and sealed extremes oftemperature might cause it to burst. This forni of rod provides a lightstructure which serves eliiciently for the removal of carbon andprovides sufficient cross-sectional area to reduce the volume of oilwithin the A large pipe without adding the undesirable weight whichwould beprovided by a solid metal rod. The structure of Figure 5 isshown in cross section in Figure 6. Figure 7 shows a modifiedarrangement in which a plurality ot' rods, three in this View, are used.A plurality of rods may serve particularly efiiciently in certaininstances because the tumbling action of the rods is multiplied and theremoval of carbon is thus made more positive. Figure 8 shows a form ofsquare iod, and Figure 9 shows a fragmentary view of a twistedarrangement of solidi'od, which, beca-use of its cutting edges, has beenfound particularly eflicient for scouring out carbon formations.

In Figure 4, a modification of the stalling box is illustrated. In thisarrangement, the

hot oil flows the full length of-the central' pipe and out past thebearing and through a central pipe within the cold oil pipe which is inimmediate contact, with the bearing. Thisarrangement is in contrast withthe structure illustrated in Figure'l in which the cold oil extendsthrough the full length of the central pipe. In Figure 4 the cold oilenters the stuilng'box and flows around the central hot oil outlet pipeand is led off through a branch Ipipe towards the series of revolublepipes ot the still. ln this modification a somewhat similar stuliing-box is shown as is illustrated in Figure 1. Complementary.projectingannular flanges are provided between the fixed parts and the movableparts to prevent leakage of oil Jfrom the outer portion to theatmosphere, and from the hot and cold portions. An annular space isprovided as an oil seal.

'lhe operation ot' the process and the appaiatus will now be described.`Oil is introduced through the pipe 45, through the stulling box, andthrough the length of the central pipe 4 which is thus kept 'full ofcold oil. The oil is then led through the pipe4b from which it passesinto the pipe 12 from which latter it is conducted into the nextadjacent pipe 13, and so on through each of the pipes oi the seriesl2-.40, inclusive, being introduced into one end of the pipe anddischarged from the opposite end, and being reintroduced in a similarmanner 'into an adjacent pipe. In this manner the oil is movedprogressively through each of the pipes in series, first in onedirec-tion through source of heat in the lower part of the fury nace.

.the arrangement vshown the oil is passed through the group- 'of pipesmost. closely grouped about the. center` pipe 4 and then through thenext adjacent row of pipes. The particular manner of connecting thepipes forms no part of this present invention, but the invention doesinclude the idea of heatin'g the outer group of pipes more intensely byhaving the outer group closest to the This idea includes the preliminaryheating of the oil as it is freshly introduced by. passing it throughthe'central group of pipes first, Where it is relatively removed fromthe direct force of the heat, and then subjecting it to an increasedtemperature as it reaches the outer group of pipes. After the oil hasbeen subjected in the outer group of pipes to temperature .conditionswhich are at least sufficient to effect cracking conditions Within thepipes, the oil is led back from the pipe 40 into the discharge pipIe 55located Within pipe 4 and discharged through the pipe 46. In the passagethrough the pipe 55, within the pipe 4, the oil serves to slightlypreheat the incoming oil inthe annular space imediately surrounding thepipe 55. The apparatus which thus provides for a flow of cold oilthrough the length yof thel center pipe 4 is particularly eflicientbecause the oil serves to keep the material of.

the pipe fairly cool and to prevent it from overheating and weakening.There is considerable weight on the pipe 4 due to the structure of thepipe assembly carried by it, and the long extent of the pipe 4 withinthe furnace structure makes it particularly desirable to have the pipefilled 'withV cold oil rather than previously heated oil such as mightbe the product from a structure such as that shown in Fi ure 4.

` No claim is made y me tothe inventions described herein relating toAt-he particular sequence of the path of travel of the oil through thevarious pipesof the rotatable assembly or to the highv speed passage ofoil through the pipes which contain the rods..

I claim:

- l. rIhe process of producing low boiling hydrocarbon oils from highboiling hydrooil to be treated progressively throng a plurality of pipesconnected in series and mounted for rotation, and subjecting the of thepipes.

3. The process of producing low boiling hydrocarbon oils from highboiling `hydrocarbon oils-Which comprises passing lil uid oil to betreated progressively throng a plurality of pipes connected' in seriesand mounted for rotation and having a freely movable rod positioned ineach pipe whereby carbon formed Within the pipes iskept free, from thepipes and may be carried jecting the oil to a heat treatment applieddirectly to the exterior of the pipes suffcient to elfect crackingconditions within at least some of the pipes.

4. Apparatus for .cracking hydrocarbon oil material comprising aplurality of pipes connected in series and mounted torotate about afixed axis, and a freely movable rod in each of said pipes extendinglength- Wise thereof.

5. Apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon oil material comprising aplurality of pipes connected in series and mounted to rotate Vabout afixed axis, a freely movable rod in each of said pipes extendinglengthwise thereof, and pipe means located at the axis and through.which pipe means materials to be treated may be introduced into saidpipes 1and materials Which4 have been treated may be led off from saidpipes.

6. Apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon oil. material comprising arotatable axle,

tubular throughout its length, ap ipe extending parallel to said axleand 1n communicationwith the interior of said axle and' revoluble aboutit, a freely` movable rod within said pipe and-extending lengthwisethereof, and means for introducing. vmaterial to said pipe through saidaxle. carbon oils which comprises passmg li uid In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature.

ALFONCE H. HELLER.

-along with the flow of' the oil, and sub-

